Homes evacuated due to gas leak in Sun Prairie Friday

SUN PRAIRIE, WI (CBS 58) -- Less than four weeks since a natural gas explosion in Sun Prairie shook the downtown, taking the life of a firefighter and destroying several businesses and a home, residents were again asked to leave their homes due to a natural gas leak.

Between 50 to 100 homes were evacuated in Sun Prairie Friday night after Low Explosive Levels of natural gas were detected in a residential area on the east side of the city. 

According to the Sun Prairie Fire Department, around 8:25 PM there was a report of the odor of natural gas near E Main Street and White Tail Drive on the east edge of the city.  When crews detected natural gas levels above 10 % in the air, an evacuation was ordered.

The Sun Prairie Fire and Police Department evacuated an area about a half mile in radius around the leak.  Residents were asked to go to the Sun Prairie High School where the Red Cross and Madison Metro bus assisted the people displace by the evacuation.

WE Energies was called in and found and repaired two leaks.  What caused the leaks has not been reported.   

Sun Prairie officials lifted the evacuation around 10:15 PM. They say that all the evacuated residents have since returned to their homes.

Friday's leaks happened about a half mile east of downtown Sun Prairie were a natural gas explosion on July 10 killed volunteer firefighter Captain Cory Barr and destroyed six businesses and one home.  Authorities say a subcontractor working in the area ruptured a natural gas line in downtown Sun Prairie prior to the explosion.